News

DNV GL Targets Every Vessel in the Fleet Using Electronic Certificates in 2018

Just four months after the launching of electronic certificates, the classification bureau DNV GL has issued more than 50,000 certificates, the company had said. Following the introduction of IMO compliant electronic class and statutory certificates, in mid October 2017, DNV GL launched its electronic certificates. …See Details...

GPA Orders 8 Konecranes Boxporter RMG

​The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) in the USA has embarked upon the Mason Mega Rail Project that will double the Port of Savannah’s on-dock rail lift capacity to 1 million containers per year. As part of the project, the GPA has ordered 8 Konecranes BOXPORTER RMG cranes for the expanded intermodal container handling. Delivery will occur in two parts, one in the second half of 2019 and one in the second half of 2020.
Work on the GPA’s Mason Mega Rail Terminal project in Savannah is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020. This rail terminal will combine and expand upon the rail yards currently operated by CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads at GPA’s Garden City Terminal. The project will also increase the number of working tracks from eight to 18. The terminal will allow 10,000-ft trains to be loaded and unloaded with containers, rapidly increasing service to an arc of inland American markets from Memphis to Chicago.
“The Konecranes RMGs will play an integral role in our rail expansion, allowing the Port of Savannah to handle more containers by rail, with greater efficiency than ever before,” said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch.…See Details...

February 20, 2018

Despite Volume Increase, APMT Suffered Loss of US$168m in 2017

APM Terminals, a subsidiary of A.P. Moller - Maersk and sister company of world’s leading container shipping Maersk Line, suffered a net operating loss of US$168 million in 2017, down from earnings of $438 million in 2016 despite an increase in cargo volumes handled at the terminals it both owns and operates worldwide.
Overall container throughput volumes in 2017 rose by 6.5 per cent over the previous year to reach 39.7 million TEU.
The company said in its earnings report announcement: "APM Terminals faced various commercial challenges in 2017, which resulted in rate pressure, leading to lower revenue per move and impairments in challenged markets."
Volume growth was driven by the strong performance of its terminals in North Asia, Latin America and on account of additional throughput garnered through its sister company Maersk Line.…See Details...

February 20, 2018

PTP Upgrades Billing Centre

​IPC subsidiary PT Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok (PTP) upgraded its billing facilities (billing centre) through launching of new billing centre at Tanjung Priok Passenger Terminal.
This facility is integrated with banking system and equipped with cargo tracking system that is connected with the government inaportnet.
"The billing system with cashless payment has actually been on stage since 2015. Today, we launched our new centre, another gateway we offer to our customer," PTP President Director Immanudin explained this billing center.
"This billing center is a choice for customer who are not familiar with e-paymenet yet. And there are still many. There are thousands of transactions handled by this billing centre daily, with transaction value reaching more than Rp 2 billion a day," Immanudin said, adding: "Since the billing center also provides cargo tracking facility and it is opened for 24 hours in seven days, many came to billing center."
Imanudin expects this facility can help to create efficient billing service to customers, including the customers of terminal 1, 2, and 3. "In principe, this facility is meant to help efficient billing service and to give more choices for customers in payment," he said.
Some banks that have running partnership with IPC TPK for billing are including Bank Mandiri, BNI, BCA, and Bank CIMB Niaga. …See Details...

​ICS Protesting Permendag 82, Saying It a Discriminatory Practice

International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has delivered a protest to Indonesian government relating the issuance of Decree of Minister of Trade Permendag 82/2017, saying the policy is a discriminatory practice and breaking the free trade principles.
Responding to the decree on “The provision of the use of national sea transports and insurance for the purpose of export and import of certain goods”, ICS secretary-general Peter Hinchliffe wrote to the Indonesian ministers for transport and energy and mineral resources as well as various other top officials.
The letter is signed by former secretary that has been replaced by Guy Platten this month (February).
The letter writes how ICS understands the decree, saying the global shipping industry “is very concerned that the decree appears to require that transportation of specified products and goods on international voyages, to and from Indonesian territory, must be conducted using Indonesian vessels”. The ruling applies to the carriage and insurance of rice, coal and crude palm oil (CPO), the latter two being some of Indonesia’s biggest commodities exports.
As reported earlier, though the decree had been issued in October 2017 and is expected to come into force on April 26, there has so far been a lack of clarity on implementation.
“If our understanding is correct, this would appear to be a form of discriminatory cargo reservation, which would be contrary to accepted international practice and maritime free trade principles that are adhered to by Indonesia's trading partners, including those in Asia,” ICS warned in the letter.
It further added: “Cargo reservation is also contrary to the obligations which Indonesia has accepted as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the commitments that governments have made under the 'Model Maritime Schedule' as part of the ongoing Doha Round.”…See Details...

NPCT 2 and 3 to Run in Fully Automated Terminal System

New Priok Container Terminal (NPCT) 2 and 3 that are targeted to be in operation by the end of 2019 will be run under a fully automated terminal system. This means that all the port equipments, including quay crane (QC) at the berthing mouth and RTG (rubber tyred gantry) cranes at the terminal yard, will run automatically and fully be controlled from controlling room.
In addition, the container delivery from unloading process from vessel to the yard, or loading process to the vessel from a yard, will also run automatically under Automatic Guidance Vehicle (AGV) system.
“This will become the first Indonesia’s terminals that adopt this system,” Prasetyadi, Pelindo II/IPC Operation and Information System Director told Indonesia Shipping Gazette, affirming that Terminal Teluk Lamong in Surabaya has actually deployed it, but still semiautomatic.
In running the system, according to Prasetyadi, the terminals will do cooperation with Port of Rotterdam, Netherland.
He explained that the adoption of this system will bring a lot of benefits such as fastening loading/unloading process and minimizing accident risk. “We minimize human at the field, thus minimizing accident,” he said.
The construction of New Priok Container Terminal (NPCT) 2 and 3 is still ongoing and expected to be in operation by the end of 2019. …See Details...